People From My Neighbourhood

The small child who lives under a sheet ; the old man who has two shadows, one docile, the other rebellious ; two girls named Yoko who are locked in a bitter lifelong rivalry ; the people who visit an apartment block and come away with strange afflictions. In Kawakami's super-short 'palm of the hand' stories, the world is never quite as it should be — but you won't want to leave.